Should the Sixers extend Nik Stauskas?
With the extension deadline quickly approaching, should the Philadelphia 76ers consider re-upping Nik Stauskas‘ contract?
The deadline for contract extensions in Oct. 16, which means the Philadelphia 76ers have a handful of important decisions to make over the next few weeks. While Joel Embiid and Robert Covington seem like no-brainers in that regard, one name who may generate some more controversy is Nik Stauskas.
After lighting up the scoreboards at Michigan, Stauskas’ shooting prowess has had a rough transition to NBA basketball. He’s a only a 34.3 percent shooter from deep through three seasons, a tally that falls well below expectations for someone whose calling card was that very same shot in college.
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He has shown flashes of improvement, including early last season, but he tends to regress back to the mean on a consistent basis. Nonetheless, we have seen Stauskas play a significant role over the past couple of seasons, starting in 62 of his 153 games in a Sixers uniform. He’s somebody Brett Brown remains confident in, and seeing him stick around in a reserve role isn’t unfeasible.
That leads to the central question: Is Stauskas somebody Bryan Colangelo should extend?
Stauskas himself seems rather pessimistic, saying this in an interview with Keith Pompey:
"“Obviously, I haven’t had the type of seasons in the past that would warrant me getting a big-time extension. I know that. I have so much more to prove. I have so much more to work for. So in terms of like getting an extension, my mind has not been on that.”"
While confidence is a major key in Stauskas’ growth moving forward, sugercoating this wouldn’t make much sense. He knows he hasn’t met expectations, and tangible growth is something he’ll need to show before Philadelphia gives him another year.
Last season marked Stauskas’ best to date, with a career-high scoring mark (9.5 points per game) accompanied by a 36.8 percent clip from beyond the arc. That’s his first time eclipsing the league average in three years, a notable step forward for somebody whose shot is so vital to his production.
What Stauskas lacks in elite athleticism, his ability to space the floor and find his spots still yields potential. His stroke looks good and his form doesn’t waver too much, it’s just a matter of him boosting his confidence — something he has focused on extensively over the past year.
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If he’s able to remain active in Brett Brown’s motion-laden offense and hit shots fall at a remotely consistent rate, he has inherent value as somebody who has played in the Sixers’ system for longer than the majority of his backcourt mates. He also flashed upside as a secondary creator last season, running the pick-and-roll and driving the lane with moderate success.
He doesn’t have the explosiveness or burst needed to overwhelm guys in isolation, but being comfortable enough as a passer and improving as a finisher adds a much-needed dynamic to Stauskas’ otherwise-stagnant repertoire.
If Stauskas doesn’t make the improvements we’ve been expecting for two years now, it’s difficult to justify giving him an extension. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Furkan Korkmaz both project as apt replacements long term, while J.J. Redick has removed any need for Stauskas’ talent in bulk.
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A quality campaign shooting the ball is what Stauskas needs most, while further diversifying his skill set could give him some extra points with the front office. He’s no longer a bare necessity on a team devoid of talent, though. That makes him fully expendable if he isn’t a viable contributor on a competitive roster.